1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing equipment, such as digital copying machines, facsimile machines and printers, for recording and reproducing images on an original sheet by converting color decomposing signals read from the original sheet into recording signals of the individual colors for a development process and selecting one of the recording signals for each development cycle. More particularly, the invention relates to an image processing equipment which can provide different image processing parameters for each area and/or which is capable of applying various image-superimposing processes to different areas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Even those original sheets on which photographs, characters and printed materials are present solely or in mixture, can be readily read out by means of a CCD line sensor. Then, it is possible to reproduce a color original sheet by the processes of: converting the read-out signals into recording signals of a toner and other coloring materials(colorants); irradiating a photosensitive material with a laser beam modulated in accordance with such recording signals, thereby forming a latent image on the photosensitive material; and developing, transferring and fusing the latent image. In addition, it the analog color decomposing signals obtained by means of the CCD line sensor are converted into digital signals with a large number of gradation levels, the latter can be applied to various editing jobs through operations of storage, conversion, adjustment, synthesis, and so forth.
One of such editing jobs is the processing of the color decomposing signals primarily for conditioning the picture quality of the final output image. For example, the resolution, grain properties and reproducibility of chromatic gradation can be improved through the conditioning of images which is suitable for a type of each original sheet, such as a photograph, character, printed material, and a mixture of those.
As other types of the editing jobs, trimming (the extraction of an image), masking (the erasure of an image), the insertion of a logogram, and so forth can be mentioned, and the result of these processings appears predominantly in the image of the final output.
A plurality of the above various types of editing jobs are frequently selected concurrently as processings for a single original sheet.
On the other hand, in an image processing equipment such as color copying machines, the editing of the color-read-out signals is performed by the so-called pipeline method, without temporarily storing the read-out data in such memory means as a plane memory. This is to increase the number of copies taken per unit duration of time, i.e., to improve the productivity. Accordingly, the various types of editing jobs mentioned above are performed in synchronization with the read-out data flowing along the pipeline.
In an image processing equipment provided with highly variegated editing functions as mentioned above, there are many operations for selection and setting of the functions. Therefore, the facility and convenience of the equipment in operation will be considerably different, depending on how the order of priority and the operating procedure are set for the combination of the various functions. That is to say, even if equipment with an extensive range of variations in copying were offered, such functions would be merely laborious and useless unless they are supported with facility and convenience in operation. It is very important in incorporating such highly variegated functions into the equipment to ensure facility and convenience in their operation.
In this regard, there is conventional image processing equipment in which image separating functions such as color converting, painting, color mode and color balancing are set up with high priority while color creating functions applicable to the entire area, such as color converting, painting, color mode, color balancing, and sharpness controlling, are set up with low priority, with masking and the trimming functions being positioned between these two sets of functions (for example, Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 125055-1988). Furthermore, such system is so designed that the function specified later takes priority among the image separating functions while the overlapping of the color creating functions is made available to the maximum extent possible. In the case of such equipment, a wider range of copying variations may be obtained, provided that the operator has thoroughly learned the priority order and operating procedure of the functions and operates them with full dexterity. However, since it is necessary for the operator always to give thought to the order of priority and the operating procedure, such equipment presents the problem that it is hard for those persons not familiar with the equipment to use such functions available in it.
Now, the relationship between the copying output and the operating procedure in the conventional equipment is explained with reference to the illustrations in 73. Marks, #1, #2, . . . in the figure represent the order in the operating procedure while the diagonal lines indicate the image sections of the copying output.
FIG. 73 (a) and FIG. 73(b) illustrate the cases in which the operating order of trimming and masking is different. Even if the functions are operated in both cases with the presupposition of the copying output as shown in FIG. 73(a), the change of the operating order will result in a difference in the copying output as shown in FIG. 73(b). Moreover, FIG. 73(c) and FIG. 73(d) present examples in which a color mode function and trimming is included and the color mode function is specified in different methods. In case it is attempted to perform trimming while setting the color mode function, the copying output shown in FIG. 73(c) will be obtained if the color mode is applied to the entire area. But, if the color mode is applied to a specified area, the trimming in the specified area will be ignored, and the color mode image as shown in FIG. 73(d) will be output. Also in case it is intended to perform a trimming job with color conversion in part, the image subjected to color conversion will be given priority as illustrated in FIG. 73(e). Moreover, since areas are often specified in the form of a rectangular area, it sometimes happens that the masking area and the color conversion area overlap with each other. In such a case, it is an ordinary practice as viewed from the standpoint of execution of the area specification that color conversion is to be applied to the part of the image remaining after the performance of masking. But, as the color-converted area takes priority, some part of the area for masking is left out of masking.
Because the copying output tends to be different depending on the relative orders of these functions in operation and that the user's intention is not reflected in some cases in the selective use of the various functions, the user will be confused and also troubled in imagining the image of the copying output.
Also, in performing editing jobs for the conditioning of the image quality only, the overlapping of the specified areas is particularly likely to occur in case it is attempted to perform mutually different types of editing jobs over a plural number of areas. It is difficult for the user also to imagine the copying output for the overlapping areas in such a case.